More than $554,000 in food benefit dollars have been stolen from North Carolina’s Food and Nutrition Services participants since Aug. 18, according to a news release from the state Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).
No further fraudulent activity has been reported since Sept. 6, when NCDHHS implemented a block on online transactions originating from Connecticut, Florida, and New York that appeared to be tied to fraudulent activity.
The surge in stolen benefits is related to online transactions that took place at BJ’s Wholesale Club and was disproportionately impacting participants with higher balances. NCDHHS has been cooperating with federal, state and local law enforcement since October 2022 when FNS participants nationwide started being targeted by criminals who were stealing Electronic Benefit Transfer cards through various methods of card skimming, card cloning and fraudulent transactions.
Since October 2022, more than $2.7 million in FNS benefits have been reported stolen in North Carolina.
Food and Nutrition Services participants whose benefits were stolen on or before Sept. 30 can submit a request to have eligible benefits reimbursed by submitting a signed affidavit by mail, fax, in-person or over the phone to their county department of social services. Once the claim is processed, the client will be sent a new EBT card in the mail (typically within three to five business days) and will receive replacement benefits the next calendar day. SUN Bucks benefits that have been stolen cannot be replaced.
For more about information EBT theft and how to report stolen benefits, go to the NCDHHS Card Skimmers and Stolen FNS Benefits webpage.
